Cheese and bacon muffins

POPULAR CHOICE: These cheese and bacon muffins are tasty and nutritious, easy on the budget and sure to be popular with the kids.

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Recipes

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Last week a friend was telling me about the perennial problem of keeping hunger pangs at bay or, more specifically, those of teenage boys, who seem capable of devouring three courses between every meal.

Keeping up the food to active adolescents can be a pain in the back pocket, especially if the food budget has limits.

These savoury muffins tick all the boxes.

Not only do they have protein and carbs, but they are also filling and quick to make.

You can whip up a batch just before the troops arrive home from school or sport and serve them, split and buttered, with a bowl of baked beans laced with extra bacon and cheese.

This recipe, which makes 12 medium-sized muffins, takes only minutes to assemble and 20 minutes to bake.

For extra crunch top with a little more cheese, and for extra flavour add fresh seasonal herbs such as parsley, chives and thyme.

The kids won't notice, of course, but you will sleep easier at night knowing their nutritional needs have been met even as you churn out tucker for those bottomless pits.

Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 150g chopped bacon
• 1 cup grated tasty cheese
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley, chives or thyme
• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp prepared mustard

Method: Set oven at 200degC and grease 12 medium muffin cups.

Cook chopped bacon in a hot dry pan. Set aside to cool.

Place flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and sugar in a large bowl. Add cheese, bacon and chopped herbs and toss together.

In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg and milk together then stir in the mustard and oil.

Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Combine but do not overmix.

Three-quarters fill muffin cups and bake for 20 minutes. Serve sliced and buttered – if you can wrestle them from the kids.

- © Fairfax NZ News